


At the Hands of Death

by RoboticSpaceCase



Category: Gravity Falls
Genre: God of Death Dipper, God of Life Mabel, I touched it and it turned to sad lmao, Immortal Bill, M/M, This was supposed to be funny but, angsty fluff, whoops
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-04
Updated: 2017-08-04
Packaged: 2018-12-09 18:33:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,313
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11674770
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RoboticSpaceCase/pseuds/RoboticSpaceCase
Summary: Dipper has a hard time taking the soul of a human to the other side, allowing the human to live as many different lives as he wants.





	At the Hands of Death

**Author's Note:**

> Whoops here's...something. Idk what it is, really, but it sure is something. The summary doesn't really describe it well enough, but tbh I couldn't think of anything else RIP
> 
> I've been in a weird, shitty place mentally lately ((lmao not like that's new)) so I kind of used this as like, a vent thing??? Idk, it was an idea I had and it felt good to write for a lot of reasons.
> 
> Anyway, I've recently hit 200 user subs on here, and I know 200 isn't a BIG number, but it means a lot to me, so I've been kind of putting something together to celebrate. Follow me on Tumblr if you wanna be a part of that when I do it <3
> 
> ((Also, I'm not allowed to like, promo it here really but check out my Tumblr bio for how to see my stuff early/get stuff I don't post on here ;D))
> 
> Hope you enjoy!~

“You’re not serious,” Mabel said as she plucked a stray hair from her silk robe. Its soft pink color glimmered in the morning sun, her olive skin brimming with life while she basked in the light. Few people looked as colorful as she did. No one person or other god could compare to her lively look, and none could ever smile as brightly. Mostly because her smile could literally make a flower grow, but she had a natural beauty as well.

Across from her in the shade of the thick curtain sat Dipper, who wore a navy blue cloak, its texture coarse and its color dull. He tapped his finger on the small table between them, staring down at his iced coffee. He didn’t use to like cold coffee, but he had to get used to it because whenever he touched hot coffee it would cool almost instantly.

“I am,” he affirmed. They had been talking about their recent journey out into the human world the day before, Mabel’s always being fruitful while Dipper’s… Well, he did his job for the most part, but there was one little hang up he always got caught on.

“I still don’t want to bring him over,” he sighed.

“Dipper,” Mabel said sternly, “I gave him life over five human centuries ago, there _has_ to be an end. You know he’ll just come back in another form. Why not just take him and let me recycle his soul?”

He let out a soft sigh, his breath visible despite the warmth Mabel gave their tea room. “I like the form he’s in now. And I don’t want to have to wait until he’s a new person. I’ll have to reintroduce myself and I run the risk of him no longer wanting me around. I…”

Mabel raised a brow at him, a heartbroken smile pulling at her lips. “Oh, brother,” she said softly. “I see now.”

“You see nothing,” he huffed. “It’s not what you’re suggesting. I don’t _love_ this mortal. He’s just…good at pleasing me and all this time he’s had on Earth has made him rather interesting. Besides, you get people worshiping you all the time. It’s rare that I find someone to worship me.”

She leaned back in her chair, the wood creaking under her weight. Her cheeks puffed while she tried to hide a smile, though her eyes seemed to carry a weighted sadness for him. “Alright, Dipper. I won’t badger you again for a while about this. Have some more fun with this mortal and enjoy him while you can.” The sleeves of her robe rode up her arms as she stretched them over her head, the simple action making seeds in their garden just outside the window sprout. “But realize it must come to an end at some point. A soul will go stale if left in a body too long.”

Her words made Dipper look down, his hand tightly grasping his cup. He knew the risks, but he was willing to take them for his human. “I know.” Downing the rest of his drink, Dipper stood and smoothed out the wrinkles in his cloak. “We should get going. I have souls to reap and you’ve life to give.”

“Right. Work.” Mabel stood as well, the silk of her robe sliding gracefully along the hardwood flooring. “I’ve got so many people and animals to give life to, it’s going to be a great day!”

Dipper snorted and snapped his fingers, his list appearing in his hand. At the top was always the same name, the one he refused to cross off yet.

_William Cipher, 587. New York, New York, United States._

“My list seems to be longer than yours, therefore I don’t believe _they_ will think it’s a very good day. It also seems you’ll beat me back here, put on some tea, will you?” He waved the list away with his hand and ran a hand through his hair, changing his ethereal appearance into something more sinister. His round cheeks hollowed and his eyes turned black, what little color he had in his complexation draining into an ashy gray.

Mabel’s skin turned a golden color, her eyes glowing a bright green while her brown curls became fuller and streaks of light wove through them. When she spoke it echoed through their cottage-like home. “I’ll make sure tea is ready for you. Reap well, brother.”

“Breathe life into the Earth, sister.” His voice sounded so harsh following hers, like a blender with rocks in it had been turned on after a heavenly church choir performance.

A flash of light enveloped her and she disappeared from where she stood, leaving Dipper alone in the room. It immediately grew cold and dull, the color Mabel carried vanishing with her.

Sometimes he found himself being a little envious of her ability to make things so lively and bright, but when he fell into the shadows that carried him down to the Earth, he found solace in their embrace. They were where he was meant to be, where he carried the dead from their life on Earth to a place where they could be reborn and live again. He was irreplaceable and his job was just as important as Mabel’s.

The weight of the land had to be adjusted to every time he touched down. Time in his realm moved in a completely different way than it did on Earth, making it possible for him and Mabel to do their jobs properly, and it made his form shift uncomfortably when he came into it.

All around him he could feel both his and Mabel’s energy, pushing and pulling like waves in the air. Spikes of life began to pop up around him, Mabel sending him a playful message about the amount of puppies and kittens she had just brought into the world. He would soon send her one back about how many souls she would be able to recycle the next day, something she was always happy to hear about.

His first few stops were in the larger countries of the world where he would take souls in bulk. Stopping at one soul in the middle of a cluster allowed him to collect them all from one point, shortening the amount of time he would take to do his job. He used to be able to collect them one at a time but the human race had grown so large so rapidly that he had to adapt, he and Mabel both learning to extend their power over large areas of land.

At his first stop, Dipper made no attempt to hide from the soul he was about to collect. They were laid out motionless on their apartment floor, eyes glazed over. Heart attack.

He stood over them and put his hand out, his blackened fingertips glowing a bright blue as he pulled the soul from the body. It never expended any energy to take just one, but as he pulled harder to start bringing in more his form began to strain.

They began to cluster around him, all still softly glowing from Mabel’s touch. The second they came in contact with his hand, though, their glow dimmed, some quickly fading gray while others took longer to drain of color, creating a golden spotted ball of light in his palms.

It never took him long to collect souls, even if there were a lot in the area. He would leave tired, his corked bottle of souls full, but never would it take him so long that he would grow weary of it. Sometimes, however, when he was meant to meet with Bill, the short amount of time felt as though it dragged on.

This particular trip would have him join Bill in a city, where it seemed the blond had found entertainment in doing magic shows. He always made Bill his last stop, even though he still sat at the top of his list, the blood-red letters adding weight to the scroll of seemingly endless paper.

In a crowd that could not see him, Dipper made his way to a large stage, admiring how fancy the venue looked. Bill had done well for himself with this new identity, as every well-cushioned seat was filled with people who had likely paid a pretty penny to watch him perform tricks that he practiced in the many years he had been alive.

He stood in front of the stage, sending chills through the people in the first row. Looking up, he smiled at the lights that flashed dramatically, the crowd behind him exploding into applause. They were excited to see Bill, and Dipper was too. It had been far too long.

From the center of the stage rose a man wearing a golden-bricked mask that covered only the top of his face, his soft lips curled up in a devilishly handsome smile that made Dipper weak in the knees. Somehow this mortal that should have died ten times over still looked as though Mabel had just blessed him with life, his blue eyes twinkling in the spotlights like stars.

Bill wore a cape that matched his mask, flicking it behind him as soon as he fully stood on the stage. A cane topped with a glass diamond twirled in his right hand, his left held outstretched as if he were waiting for something to fall into it.

Their eyes briefly met and Bill’s smile softened, Dipper’s chest constricting as if the blond had placed a bag of bricks on him.

“Welcome, my esteemed guests,” he began into the small mic that had been fixed onto his face, “I hope you’re ready to witness _true_ magic!” In his left hand, a puff of smoke appeared, revealing a top hat when it cleared. He placed it atop his head, his fingers trailing along the rim before he placed his hand on the cane with the other.

Again the crowd cheered and Dipper smiled, something that would likely be a horrifying sight to most people. Bill, however, smiled back and continued with his show, addressing the audience before each spectacular trick.

They started small, Bill doing things like pulling objects from seemingly nowhere or making them look like they vanished. The tricks gradually turned into much larger things, such as Bill getting crushed by a wall of nails. When that trick ended he cracked a joke about death not wanting him, which earned a laugh from the audience and a raspberry from Dipper.

“My final trick,” Bill said a bit breathlessly at the end of the night, “will require a volunteer!”

Immediately people raised their hands and called out to him, some standing from their seats to try and grab his attention.

“Hm, it seems I have quite the _buffet_ to pick from!” he teased.

A few hands went down after the quip, the people then unsure of what the trick would actually entail.

“I see a lovely lady in row E, seat twenty-three!” Bill stuck a pose, a playful finger gun pointed her way.

The lady he spoke of had long, curly, brown hair with obvious red highlights, her eyes a gray color that matched the simple summer dress she wore. Dipper could see that she only had twenty years left to live, despite how young she was. She walked with a confidence not many humans had, her head held high when she stood next to Dipper.

“How do ya feel about fish, my dear?” Bill helped her up on stage, the woman holding his hand longer than Dipper thought to be necessary.

“They smell,” she sneered, her fists clenching at her side.

She looked to be quite sour herself, though Dipper would never outwardly show his distaste for her obvious stuck up attitude. He didn’t have time to act petty towards humans who fluttered their eyes at Bill just to get next to him.

Bill chuckled and stepped back, his hand motioning to the back of the stage where a large tank filled with water sat. “What’s your name?”

“Kary.” She smiled nervously and eyed the tank. “I don’t see any fish, though.”

“Of course, I haven’t thrown them in yet,” Bill laughed. “Now, Kary, have you ever been fishing?”

She shook her head, her eyes going back towards Bill who was roughly rubbing his hands together, the sound perfectly coming through his mic.

“Well, you’re about to learn how! Go ahead and take a look at this tank for me, tell me if you see anywhere it connects to the ground, or if there’s anything feeding into it.”

Kary went over to the tank, stepping around it while everyone waited in near-perfect silence for her answer. “I don’t see anything. It’s on wheels and there aren’t any tubes,” she said after a few moments of inspecting the tank.

Bill looked directly at Dipper and shared an excited smile, almost as if he thought he was about to impress the god with his trick. “Excellent! Now, how do you feel about being bait?”

The woman let out an awkward laugh and shrugged. “As long as I don’t get bit…”

“Don’t worry, the only thing that bites on this stage is me!” He loudly clacked his teeth together to get a laugh out of the audience, smiling reassuringly at Kary while he pulled a ladder up to the tank. “Go ahead and climb up this for me, dear. Look down into the tank, but be sure not to fall in!”

Kary did as told, her confidence starting to waiver as she stood over the large, seemingly empty tank.

With yet another excited glance at Dipper, Bill trotted over to the edge of the stage and pretended to push up the already rolled up sleeves of his white-collared shirt. “You can all see that there’s nothing up my sleeves! As if I could shove a fish up there anyway,” he joked.

Dipper chuckled and crossed his arms, waiting for Bill to finish with his show. The blond made a big, exaggerated deal of making the hoard of gold fish appear whenever Kary touched the tips of her fingers to the water, putting the audience in total awe. The blond really seemed to enjoy being a showman.

“Thank you, ladies, gents, and people on the fence!” Bill said loudly as he finished. Kary had gone back to her seat, leaving with a signed fake goldfish toy. Bill smiled as she left, though he looked tired and ready to get off the stage. “You’ve all been wonderful!”

With a bow, Bill disappeared in a cloud of smoke, the audience giving him a standing ovation. It had been a great show but Dipper was eager for the blond to get back into his dressing room where he could pop in and say hello.

Once the crowd started to get up and leave, Dipper called upon his shadows and let them take him through the building until he arrived at Bill’s green room door. It was locked, but a locked door was nothing to a god.

Bill startled when he heard the knob twist, the blond halfway through taking his shirt off. “Dipper, good lord don’t do that.”

Surprised that his human was surprised, Dipper chuckled and closed the door behind himself. “What have you to be afraid of? You can’t die.” He looked around the room, its rather simple and modern design boring him. “And what’s with this room? It’s so not...you.”

The blond laughed while he packed his stage outfit into a case, a much more comfortable outfit sitting on the vanity just to his right. It seemed he was quick to rid himself of his mic and accessories. “To answer your first question, as someone who always has death _coming_ for him, I like to stay on my toes. As for the second, well, I had no say in it.” Before he grabbed his casual outfit, Bill leaned against the vanity in just his golden boxers and winked at Dipper. “My hotel room, on the other hand, can be pretty exciting. Wanna come see it?”

 _Something_ about this _damn human_ made Dipper’s nonexistent heart flutter. He had been flirted with before -he was death, it was even a saying among humans- but no one had ever made him feel the way Bill did. The simple invitation to join him in his hotel room made him feel _warm,_ and Dipper didn’t _ever_ feel warm.

“A tempting offer,” he said evenly to hide his excitement. “I suppose I could grant you the time, seeing as it _is_ your birthday.”

“It’s my birthday?” Bill had started to get dressed again, watching Dipper out of the corner of his eye. “I hadn’t even noticed. I stopped counting or caring after about three hundred. It just doesn’t feel important anymore.”

Dipper leaned against the door, his eyes on Bill’s torso. The blond was lean and mostly tan, his skin riddled with scars from deaths that hadn’t brought him to an end. “My sister would be offended, Bill. It’s the day she put your soul into this body, the one that has allowed us to be together. I think it’s a very important day.”

Bill pulled his simple, white T-shirt over his head, shrugging once it was properly covering him. “You’re right, I just tend not to think of it that way. But,” he said as a sly smile spread on his lips, “now that you’ve opened my eyes to it, that just means we need to celebrate.” He strutted over to Dipper and raised his hand to touch him, waiting for the okay.

If a human touched Dipper before he consciously concealed his abilities, he would accidentally steal their soul. He had been extra careful about it with Bill since he was long past due to be recycled.

Taking a long breath, Dipper brought his being further into the human world. His physical appearance became softer and more like a mortal’s, the previously terrifying features turning into ones that might be considered handsome.

“You may touch me now,” he exhaled.

All too eagerly, Bill pulled Dipper into a hug and kissed him feverishly, earning a loud squeak from the brunet.

He didn’t mind it, he kept Bill around partially for this reason, but he was a little shocked to feel such neediness behind it. “So excited,” he huffed when they parted. “I take it you missed me?”

Bill ran a hand through Dipper’s hair, smiling softly down at him. “I did, is that such a crime? I know you missed me as well, or you wouldn’t be here. You don’t visit as much as you used to.”

Dipper lightly pushed Bill off of him, looking away from the blond. “I know...I just...get busy. That’s all. I have many responsibilities as a god, you must understand. The human race has grown so big, taking nearly two-hundred-thousand souls a day all around the world takes time.”

“I see…” Bill grabbed the jeans sitting on his vanity, pulling them on while the silence grew. “Is that the only reason you’ve slowed your visits? You used to see me once a month, it’s trickled down to once every ten years or so.” He zipped up his pants and shoved his feet into the sneakers on the floor. “Find another human to pester?”

“Wha-no, Bill, not at all,” Dipper defended. “I haven’t been within a hundred mile radius of another human that I enjoy nearly as much as you.” It was true, though it wasn’t like he even _tried_ to speak to other humans. He and Bill had only really talked in the first place because Dipper used to make a point in comforting humans when he took their souls.

Now, because it would just be too hard, Dipper didn’t bother. Especially since some used to barter with him, most losing when they challenged him in any way. Bill, however, bet him something no other human had before, which was a little shocking, knowing how humans worked.

_“I’m too busy to die,” the blond said. “I have a large bundle of folks to swindle.” He chuckled mischievously and looked Dipper up and down. “I hear you play games, reaper. Perhaps I could play a game with you. Winner gets my soul this time ‘round. How’s about it?”_

The “game” turned into seeing which of the two could make the other orgasm the most, and Dipper ended up enjoying it too much to try and fight back. He rarely made his body something physical and touchable, so he hadn’t known that he could feel so good from another’s touch.

“Good,” the human laughed. Again he made his way over to Dipper, that time putting his finger under the god’s chin to tilt his face up so that he could look him in the eye. “Make yourself visible to everyone else and put on something more socially acceptable.” His hand slid up the side of Dipper’s face, his fingers tangling in his hair. “I want to show my god off to the public.”

His demanding tone sent a shiver down Dipper’s spine, again making the god enjoy being in his physical form. “Fine, but I can’t be parading around. My time here must be brief and forgettable to the world.”

Based off of the outfits he had seen recently, Dipper made himself one that consisted of a blue button-up and jeans, hoping it would blend in with the humans he would be around. He really didn’t want his existence being questioned by anyone.

“Don’t worry, we’ll only be around people for a moment before we get into the car. My driver in this city always makes sure to take the back ways too, so it won’t be an issue.” Bill looked around the room before grabbing his bag, making sure he didn’t forget anything. “Shall we?” he asked as he offered his arm for Dipper to grab.

“What a gentleman,” Dipper chuckled as he wrapped his arm around Bill’s.

Bill shrugged and opened the door, leading Dipper out of the room. “What can I say, I’m an old-fashion kind of guy.”

With his more human appearance, it was hard for Dipper to hide the color in his cheeks. He really didn’t know how a simple mortal like Bill could make him feel this way but even that small action paired with his devilish smile made his chest feel like a small star had started to form inside of him.

They walked in silence, Dipper clinging to Bill when they walked outside to see the line of people that were there to meet the magician.

“Why must you be so flashy in every life?” Dipper laughed.

Bill shrugged. “I like attention,” he said plainly and kept walking, simply waving at his screaming fans rather than stopping to say hello.

Dipper laughed and tightened his grip on the blond’s arm, not used to the stares from so many humans. “I can tell,” he mumbled, mostly to himself.

The city lights kept most of Dipper’s focus while they made their way to Bill’s hotel, a nice Ritzy place he didn’t bother to hear the name of. He felt like he should be saying something to the human, though he wasn’t sure what. They hadn’t seen each other in years and had plenty to catch up on, yet he found himself at a loss for words while they drove under the light of street lamps, the only sound being the low radio the driver had kept on.

At the hotel, Bill grabbed his bag and linked arms again with Dipper, the unease clear on his face. If he had asked Dipper what was wrong, though, the god wouldn’t know what to tell him. How could he tell him how he felt? There was no way to tell him without also explaining that one day he was going to have to die, just like everyone else.

“I’m on one of the top floors, so we have an elevator ride before we’ll be left alone,” he said aloud, knowing that Dipper wasn’t going to respond.

He held onto Dipper’s arm tightly until they finally did make it to his room, the people still bustling around them despite the late hour nothing but a background buzz to Dipper as they walked. His mind, especially while in such a solid form, couldn’t help but focus on what Bill was to him.

Maybe Mabel was right. He hadn’t even been able to make it through Bill’s show without smiling like a love-sick school girl every time the human smiled.

“So…” Bill let go of Dipper’s arm once the door closed behind them, tossing his bag onto one of the large, plush chairs the room offered. “Cat got your tongue? What could possibly be eating at death, hm?” He made a show of throwing himself onto the bed, an exaggerated pout on his lips.

Dipper gave him an unimpressed look before letting his gaze wander around the room, noticing how its design still looked pretty tame compared to other rooms he had stayed in. “Your usual yellow is everywhere, though I don’t see as much...chaos.”

“Pft,” Bill huffed. “I can’t always destroy the hotel rooms I’m in, y’know.” He pulled himself off the bed and made his way over to the little kitchen area, heading straight for a coffee maker. “Want some? It makes it really fast. Technology is wild these days.”

“No, thank you.” Feeling a little uncomfortable, Dipper let his outfit revert back to being a simple robe. He made it softer to the touch for Bill’s sake, however.

A loud sigh came from the kitchen and Dipper turned to look at Bill, finding that the blond was facing away from him while waiting for the coffee to pour into his mug. He continued to stay that way until it was done, only turning around when he had the mug held firmly with both hands.

“Patio,” he sighed. He took his mug to the sliding glass door and opened it in one swift motion, stepping outside into the chilly night air without another word.

Dipper almost felt like he just wanted to _leave,_ though he knew he couldn’t. He had to face whatever this was. He was _death_ for fuck’s sake, he could handle emotions better than any other being in the universe.

With a shaky breath, Dipper followed Bill. The patio area was very quaint compared to the rest of the hotel, simple wooden chairs with thick padding on the seats around a light brown table.

“This seems rather odd,” he thought out loud.

Bill nodded, his feet propped up on the table. “Much like your behavior,” he said bluntly. “Sit. Talk. Have you finally come to tell me my time is up? Because if so I wanna go out doing something super dramatic. I could pretend I’m going to fly as part of a magic trick, then jump off a building and just, y’know, not fly.”

“Even for me that’s rather gruesome,” Dipper said with a frown. “And I wouldn’t want to see you end like that.” He sat in the chair next to Bill and looked out at their view, the lights and sounds piquing his interest. The human race had grown so much, learning new things every day. It made him wonder how much they would know in another fifty, or one hundred years.

“Then why,” Bill started with a sigh, “are you here? Usually, our meetings are much...warmer than this, even without the sex. You’re acting so distant.” He took a sip of his coffee and kept his gaze on Dipper, his bright blue eyes making Dipper squirm.

“I’m just…” He bit his bottom lip, rolling it between his teeth for a moment before speaking. “I’m thinking. I have too much on my mind.”

Bill nodded slowly then stood just enough to slide his chair closer to Dipper with his free hand before sitting down again. “Well, tell me what’s on your mind. We’re...boyfriends?” He tilted his head and scrunched his face, shaking his head. “I don’t know if that word works, but, whatever we are, we can talk to each other about anything. So tell me of the thoughts that weigh death himself down.”

Dipper finally looked Bill in the eyes, trying his best to keep a calm face. Rarely would they ever get very emotional around each other, but Dipper felt like it may be time to tell the human. Maybe it would somehow help. That and he knew the blond wasn’t going to leave this alone. Dipper had let his emotions show, now he had to deal with that.

“Well...I’ve told you before about souls and how we recycle them, yes?”

“Yeah, a few times,” Bill said as he relaxed a little. “You take them when they’ve run their course, then Mabel gives them fresh energy to burn again and puts them in a new body. You come here once a day, around midday, to collect all the souls that need to go while Mabel puts out the ones from the day before. Uh…” He looked down into his mug, tapping his finger on the side. “That’s pretty much the basics of it that I remember.”

Dipper smiled and nodded. “Those are the basics. Did I tell you _why,_ though?”

The blond shrugged. “I mean, that’s just how the cookie crumbles, right? Shit’s gotta change or things get boring.”

“Well, kind of,” Dipper laughed. He leaned forward and cupped his hands together between them, a soft yellow glow lighting his palms. “You see, Mabel and I give and take energy. There are different masses of it everywhere in existence, but essentially all of your souls come from one. This energy...it grows stale if not put back to, well, charge.” To demonstrate his point, Dipper dimmed the light in his hand. “If a ball of energy, especially a small one like a soul, goes too long without charging, it goes stale.”

The light in his hands turned gray, looking more like a shiny gray blob reflecting the city lights than a small fire like it had before.

Understanding washed over Bill’s face with every word Dipper spoke, nodding along while the god finished explaining.

“We both have the ability to take and give, one is just easier than the other for us. Mabel, of course, has no problem giving energy, and I’ve no issue taking it. We were made to do this to service this energy, to keep it in a cycle that will only move on and never die.”

It grew silent for a while, Dipper letting Bill think over what he said. He had explained a lot to Bill in the past, mostly just for the sake of interesting conversation, but he hadn’t ever told him the whole truth or explained why things had to be the way they were. He knew it would make Bill realize that his immortality wouldn’t be forever, and he was almost scared to know how the blond would react to that.

The silence was broken by Bill setting his mug on the table, the soft click of glass on wood startling Dipper a little. He moved his hands back into his lap, letting the light die out completely.

“You’ve told me a little bit about that,” the blond said. “That’s how you heal my body each time it dies or gets hurt. You use the kind of ‘magic’ -or whatever you call it- Mabel has to keep me alive. But, my soul doesn’t really benefit from that unless it goes back, does it?”

Dipper looked down, his hands nervously playing with one of his sleeves. “No...it doesn’t. Bill…” He looked up, a solemn look on his face. “One day I will have to take you. Mabel will recycle you and you will be put into a new body, with new memories. You won’t know me. You’ll know nothing of this version of yourself, just as you don’t know of the one before this.”

Tears began to pool in his eyes, a few running down his cheek when he sniffled. Dipper never cried. He didn’t even know that he _could._

Bill immediately reached for him, hesitating until he got a small nod from Dipper, just to be safe. He leaned forward and wiped his cheeks free of the tears, hushing him. “Hey, it’s alright. All good things come to an end, right?” Bill nudged at Dipper’s shoulders until the god stood, then he pulled the brunet onto his lap.

“I guess, but…” Dipper sighed and leaned against the human, his tears still coating his cheeks despite how much he wished they would stop.

“But nothing,” Bill said softly. “I’ve had an inkling that one day I’d have to go. I’ve lived a long - _long_ \- life, I can rest easy when it’s time.” He reached for his mug, bringing it to his lips for a long swig before he spoke again. “I think...I think life is meant to be short. We’re here to shake things up a bit, then we go onto other things when we’re born again. Maybe this world, like the ball of energy or whatever, would also go stale without us.”

Dipper wiped his face, internally laughing at himself. Here he was, the god of death, crying over a mortal that was trying to comfort him by getting him to accept what he had been doing for his entire existence. How silly it would be to another god to see such a sight.

“I like to think I’ve caused enough stirring, so maybe soon it will be time for me to step back and let someone else do it,” Bill continued. “In the end, though, I just hope I’ve made enough ripples in the pond this time around to see them in the next. Maybe I’ll inspire myself to again do one of the things I became known for in the past. Everything I’ve done has been a riot, so I hope the new me likes that stuff and doesn’t just waste the new life.”

“Yeah,” Dipper said quietly. “I just… It’s not allowed for me to feel this, not really, but...Bill, I’m going to miss you. I’m going to miss you so much when I finally take you. I didn’t know I could ever feel like this, but you’ve made me feel so warm and I don’t want to ever feel cold again like I did before I loved you.”

The god’s words made Bill’s eyes widen. He stared at Dipper, his expression unreadable. “I know you clearly like me, but I didn’t expect a confession of love. You really love me?”

The heavy feeling in Dipper’s chest was no longer something he could deny. The god had said he loved Bill on accident, though now he knew it to be the truth. He couldn’t care about what might happen from this, he just had to accept it.

“I do,” he breathed. “I do love you, Bill. I’ve loved you for some time. I’ve just never been able to say. I never felt it to be the right time or the right place, but here in your arms I can feel it.” He let out a sigh, feeling as though he had just removed a boulder from his chest and a frog from his throat. “I don’t want to ever take you,” he added quietly.

Bill hummed and finished his coffee. He set the glass back on the table then licked his lips. Each of these actions seemed to take forever to Dipper, though he knew they only took seconds to transpire.

What would Bill say? Did he love him back? Was Dipper nothing but a ticket to a long life and occasional sex? What if Dipper had spent all this time catering to someone who wasn’t going to love him?

“What happens if I love you back?” Bill asked suddenly.

“What-?”

Bill interrupted him by putting his hand up. “You said you’re not allowed to feel this way. Who says so? What happens if I say I love you too?”

Dipper thought for a moment, his mind going to Mabel and a few of the other gods that made things work the way they did. They would all judge him for this, though he couldn’t really see any of them being the ones to dish out any sort of punishment if there was one. “There are just rules,” he explained. “Rules we must follow. I’ve never seen anyone break them before, though I know it’s happened before. I’m not sure exactly what will happen, but...I’m willing to risk it, for you.”

More silence followed and Dipper looked at Bill expectantly. He wanted him to return the feelings so badly, he didn’t know what he would do if Bill turned him away.

A soft smile spread on the human’s lips, his hand coming up to Dipper’s face to wipe more of his tears away. “Then I love you too. I’ve loved you for some time as well and had kind of the same problem with saying it to you. Hell, I haven’t even sought out any other company since I’ve met you. No one’s been able to live up to the standards you’ve set, pun intended,” he laughed. His smiled faded after a moment and he sighed. “For so long I thought, ‘who am I to tell a god that I love him? A simple human who lucked out and snuck death into my bed, accidentally gaining longevity just because I’m good with my dick’.”

Dipper let out a sound that was half a laugh and half a sob, his body practically glowing from how good it felt to hear Bill say that he loved him. “No other human had shocked me with an offer like yours. I suppose I fell head over heels before we even had our clothing off.”

Bill kissed Dipper’s cheek, his smile coming back in full force. “What can I say, I’ve been a charmer my whole life. I can’t turn it off,” he laughed. He hugged Dipper, his arms wrapping around the god’s waist.

They stayed like that for a while, holding each other while they listened to the world move around them. It was peaceful. So peaceful that Dipper felt himself relaxing to the point of nearly falling asleep, something he knew he shouldn’t do while in the human world. It would worry Mabel if he were gone for so long, and he didn’t want her coming to look for him or asking other gods to do it for her.

“I have to go,” Dipper said reluctantly. “I wish I hadn’t ruined my visit by being so dramatic.”

“Nonsense,” Bill scoffed. “This has by far been one of the better visits. Knowing that my time is still, in fact, limited and that you love me are very good things to have learned. Maybe you should visit more, and we can make a point to make each encounter better than the last? Y’know, live out our final days together with so much excitement and passion that it will leave ripples in both of our worlds.”

Dipper forced himself to smile, fighting the urge to cry again. He still had time with Bill. He could make the best of it while he had it and cross the bridge of saying goodbye when he got there. “You’ve already left ripples in mine, Bill. No matter what happens or how long it’s been, I’d never forget you.”

“I wish I could say the same,” Bill laughed. “Though, I like to think that my soul will always have some form of a memory of you with it. This long of a life is bound to leave a mark on it, right?”

The god brushed his hand through Bill’s blond locks, his hand resting on the nape of the human’s neck. “I would like to hope so.” He stood and sucked in a deep breath, preparing himself to leave. He wished he could stay but he really did need to check back in with Mabel. He had been gone too long already and didn’t want to push it.

“When do you think you’ll visit again?” Bill stood as well, pulling Dipper back into a hug. “I’ve been itching to have one of our regular nights together. Maybe on a weekend? We could make a romantic night of it?”

“I would love that,” Dipper hummed, leaning into the hug. “What day is it here? When is the next weekend?”

“It’s a weekend, now, Saturday night, so we have six days until Friday. Does that day work for you?”

Dipper nodded, trying to convince himself that he could let go of Bill and go back home, where he would pretend like nothing was the matter to Mabel. He could wait six days. Six cycles would go by quickly enough and he would have his human back in no time.

“Fantastic. I’ll see you then?” Bill moved back from the hug, picking his mug up from the table and holding it tightly with both hands. Dipper knew him well enough to know that the human was hiding his own emotions, as he wasn’t one to break from his usual, fun personality.

“Sounds like a date.” Dipper gave Bill a final kiss, not letting it last for very long in fear that he wouldn’t want to leave. He stepped away then called on his shadows to take him home, his eyes locked with Bill’s until the darkness swallowed him whole.

His shadows didn’t feel as comforting as they normally would, but he knew it was only because they were taking him to a place where he couldn’t be with Bill. He would just have to keep telling himself that he would see his human again and that in the end taking him would be for the best, even though it hurt to think about. All good things came to an end, and as death, he had to continue to accept that, even when he was the one facing an end for once.

“That was quite the long trip.”

Mabel’s voice was the first thing he heard when he appeared in their home. Her statement would’ve made him blush if he were still in his physical form, and it would’ve been impossible to hide that he had seen and talked things out with Bill.

“It was,” he agreed. “I’ll be spending some time in my room now that I’m home, so I won’t be much for conversation. Did you make tea?”

She gestured to the table she sat at, a second cup of still hot tea sitting across from her. “Of course. I said I would, so I did.” She stood and grabbed his cup, bringing it over to him. “You don’t usually stay so long. Is everything alright?”

There was no doubt that she had an idea of what Dipper had done, her knowing look giving her away, but Dipper was still going to deny it.

“Everything’s fine.” He grabbed the cup from her, thanking her before taking off to his room to avoid any more questions.

He sat on his bed, his knees pulled to his chest while his tea rested in his hands against his chest. Everything around him felt so warm for once, was it because of Bill? Could the human telling Dipper that he loved him really change him like this?

Dipper wasn’t sure, and right then he didn’t want to think too much about it. He needed rest for the next day since his trip to the human world had been so exhausting on all fronts. One thing he did let himself dwell on, however, was that he still had tea to enjoy. And when he took a sip?

It was still hot.

**Author's Note:**

> Like I said, check me out on Tumblr if you haven't already. Lots of cool stuff there. Same username as this one.
> 
> Comments and kudos feed my sad soul, so leave 'em if you've got 'em. If not that's cool too, I'll still love you <3


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